Urban Solutions
With all of these problems, it is a wonder that anyone moves to the city. But there are a few solutions to all the pollution, traffic, and flooding. Some of these innovations are still imagined, the government isn't making an effort to use them. But some solutions have already begun to make Manila a better place.
One of these solutions is for the pollution made by the many cars in Manila. This attempt at reducing pollution is very unique, and made by a paint company, Boysen. They designed a special type of paint called Boysen KNOxOUT, and it supposedly eats away at the noxious fumes that come from cars. They then hired street artists to paint on the walls around the busiest roads. Boysen KNOxOUT is made out of titanium dioxide, which neutralizes the gases when it is exposed to sunlight. Even though this is a creative and innovative step in reducing pollution, the vice president of Boysen, John Ongking, says that we need to go further, and the best solution is to reduce the fumes coming from cars. Some ways to reduce the pollution coming from vehicles are to use public transport more often, and also to use electric cars, which are starting to be manufactured in Manila.
Another problem with the cars in Manila is that there is too many of them for the roads to contain. There are lots of ways to solve this problem. Some include introducing and using more public transport, as this would leave the road less cluttered. The government could build more roads, on higher levels, but that probably wouldn't last for long, and there is only so high that you can build a road. The government could also increase traffic laws and the penalty for speeding, and try to stop the policemen from being bribed so easily. A solution that has been used in Athens, Greece, is an odds and evens system; if the number at the end of the number plate is odd, the vehical is allowed in certain areas on e.g. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, and if it is even, the vehicle is allowed in on in the area on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. (Although this strategy may result in illegal sales of fake number plates.)
There are many disputes about how to solve the floods of Manila. According to architect and urban planner Felino Palafox Jr*, the only way to stop the floods is land reclamation, which is when land is reclaimed from the ocean. Another possible solution is to plant more green open space, to allow the water to drain more easily. It has been proposed by Palafox to run these green open spaces, also for recreation use, along 27km of either side of the river frontage. There is a plan supported by the World Bank** to mitigate flooding including strategies like putting in a dam in the upper catchment of the city, improvements in the river system and raising the flood plains. Unfortunately the plan won't be fully implimented for another 25 years. Even small measures such as reducing the build up of rubbish and waste can also help with the flooding problem because the smaller waterways and drains wont become blocked, allowing the water to make its way out to the river and then the ocean.
With all these solutions coming into play, it seems that is only a matter of time before many of Manila's problems are solved. If the government can take up some of the brilliant ideas thought of by the Filipinos, then soon, Manila will be a wonderful place to live. It is a city of amazing opportunity.
Links:
*Palafox Associates - 'A presentation on The best and Worst Practices in Urbanisation in the Phillipines'
**World Bank Article - 'An article explaining the World Bank's approach to reducing floods in Manila'
One of these solutions is for the pollution made by the many cars in Manila. This attempt at reducing pollution is very unique, and made by a paint company, Boysen. They designed a special type of paint called Boysen KNOxOUT, and it supposedly eats away at the noxious fumes that come from cars. They then hired street artists to paint on the walls around the busiest roads. Boysen KNOxOUT is made out of titanium dioxide, which neutralizes the gases when it is exposed to sunlight. Even though this is a creative and innovative step in reducing pollution, the vice president of Boysen, John Ongking, says that we need to go further, and the best solution is to reduce the fumes coming from cars. Some ways to reduce the pollution coming from vehicles are to use public transport more often, and also to use electric cars, which are starting to be manufactured in Manila.
Another problem with the cars in Manila is that there is too many of them for the roads to contain. There are lots of ways to solve this problem. Some include introducing and using more public transport, as this would leave the road less cluttered. The government could build more roads, on higher levels, but that probably wouldn't last for long, and there is only so high that you can build a road. The government could also increase traffic laws and the penalty for speeding, and try to stop the policemen from being bribed so easily. A solution that has been used in Athens, Greece, is an odds and evens system; if the number at the end of the number plate is odd, the vehical is allowed in certain areas on e.g. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, and if it is even, the vehicle is allowed in on in the area on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. (Although this strategy may result in illegal sales of fake number plates.)
There are many disputes about how to solve the floods of Manila. According to architect and urban planner Felino Palafox Jr*, the only way to stop the floods is land reclamation, which is when land is reclaimed from the ocean. Another possible solution is to plant more green open space, to allow the water to drain more easily. It has been proposed by Palafox to run these green open spaces, also for recreation use, along 27km of either side of the river frontage. There is a plan supported by the World Bank** to mitigate flooding including strategies like putting in a dam in the upper catchment of the city, improvements in the river system and raising the flood plains. Unfortunately the plan won't be fully implimented for another 25 years. Even small measures such as reducing the build up of rubbish and waste can also help with the flooding problem because the smaller waterways and drains wont become blocked, allowing the water to make its way out to the river and then the ocean.
With all these solutions coming into play, it seems that is only a matter of time before many of Manila's problems are solved. If the government can take up some of the brilliant ideas thought of by the Filipinos, then soon, Manila will be a wonderful place to live. It is a city of amazing opportunity.
Links:
*Palafox Associates - 'A presentation on The best and Worst Practices in Urbanisation in the Phillipines'
**World Bank Article - 'An article explaining the World Bank's approach to reducing floods in Manila'